Family Visas
This visa lets the parent of a British, Irish, or settled child come to live in the UK, or stay here, to care for and play an active part in their child's life. It is designed for parents who are not in a relationship with the child's other parent. The route turns on your responsibility for, or genuine access to, your child, and we make sure that is evidenced clearly.
At a glance
Key requirement
Sole responsibility for, or genuine access to and an active role in, a British, Irish, or settled child under 18
Financial requirement
No minimum income threshold. You show you can adequately maintain and house your family without public funds
Route to settlement
5 year route to Indefinite Leave to Remain, or a 10 year route where exceptional circumstances apply
Our fee
Fixed fee from £1,200 to £2,500 for entry clearance, agreed in writing before any work begins
The Parent of a British Child Visa is part of the family route under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. It allows a parent who is not British or settled to live in the UK with their child, where that child is British, Irish, or settled here. The point of the route is to let a parent stay close to their child, take part in their upbringing, and build a life alongside them.
It is a distinct route from the partner visas, and it matters which one you use. This route is for a parent who is not in a relationship with the child's other parent. If you are in a genuine relationship with the child's British or settled other parent, you would normally apply as a partner instead. The visa is granted for an initial period, then extended, and leads to Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years on the standard route, or ten years where you rely on exceptional circumstances. We confirm the right route for you before anything is submitted.
Each case turns on its own evidence, but most Parent of a British Child applications must satisfy the following.
A qualifying child and your role in their life
Your child must be under 18 and a British citizen, Irish citizen, or settled in the UK. You must either have sole parental responsibility, or, where responsibility is shared, the child must normally live with you and not the other parent, or you must have direct in-person access and take an active role in their upbringing. Where responsibility is shared, the child's other parent must not be your partner.
Adequate maintenance, not a minimum income
There is no fixed income threshold on this route, unlike the spouse and partner visas. Instead you must show you can adequately maintain and accommodate yourself and your child without recourse to public funds. We help you evidence this in the way the Home Office expects.
Suitable accommodation
You must have somewhere adequate for you and your child to live that you own or occupy exclusively, without overcrowding and without breaching public health rules.
English language
You usually need to prove your knowledge of English at the required level, unless an exemption applies, for example on the grounds of nationality or a relevant qualification.
Immigration rules and fees change regularly. The figures and timescales on this page are a general guide, correct as at June 2026, and not advice on your case. We confirm the rules that apply to you before any application is made.
We review your child's status, your responsibility for or access to your child, your immigration history, and your finances, then tell you plainly whether you qualify and on which route.
We map out the evidence the Home Office expects, including proof of your child's status, your parental responsibility or contact arrangements, your active role in their life, and your ability to maintain and house your family.
We check every document, draft the supporting letters, and complete the application so it presents your role in your child's life at its strongest.
We submit the application, deal with the Home Office on your behalf, and keep you updated until a decision is made.
Government costs are paid separately and are not part of our fee. For this route these are the Home Office application fee, currently £2,064 from outside the UK or £1,407 for an in-country application, the Immigration Health Surcharge at £1,035 per person for each year of your visa, the biometric enrolment fee, and any English test, document translation, or TB test costs that apply to you. These third party figures are correct as at June 2026 and the Home Office can change them at short notice, so we confirm the current amounts with you before you apply.
Not on this route. The parent route is for parents who are not in a relationship with the child's other parent. If you are in a genuine, subsisting relationship with the child's British or settled other parent, you would normally apply as a partner, on the spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner route, and bring your child in alongside you. We confirm the right route at your consultation so you do not apply on the wrong basis.
No. This route does not have the £29,000 minimum income threshold that applies to partners. Instead you must show that you can adequately maintain and accommodate yourself and your child without relying on public funds. We help you put together the evidence to show this in the way the Home Office expects.
You may still qualify if you have direct, in-person access to your child and take an active role in their upbringing. This is usually shown through a child arrangements order or an agreement on contact, together with evidence that you are genuinely involved in their life, such as time spent together, school or medical involvement, and support you provide. We will look at your arrangements and advise on what to gather.
If you meet all of the eligibility requirements, you are usually placed on the 5 year route, which leads to Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years. If you cannot meet every requirement but it would not be reasonable, in the best interests of your child, to expect the family to leave the UK, you may instead qualify on the 10 year route under the exceptional circumstances rules. We assess which route fits your situation.
